Summer White

It's been a hectic week and today is our day to sit back with a cold drink and unwind.

Sauvignon Blanc is our summer white wine of the week. What makes sauvignon blanc our choice this week is its acidity, bright citrus and herbal flavors. All this in one glass makes it a great match for many of our summer dishes.

The back-story of sauvignon blanc is that it is one of the bright stars in the Loire region in France. In the Bordeaux region it is often blended with semillon.

New world wine regions have been producing sauvignon blanc in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Chile and in several AVA's in the states. In California, Sauvignon Blanc is labeled as Fumé Blanc.

The sauvignon blanc grape produces a wine with herbal and vegetal aromas and flavors.
You can smell the cut grass, weeds, bell peppers; citrus; tropical fruit; and mineral aroma that may smell like amonia which is sometimes called "cats pee". Lucky for us, that term in not used as it was in the '70's and '80's.

A wine that is refreshing when it 90 degrees in the shade and will go well with all the summer salads and grilled foods you dish up all summer is all you need. Open a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and enjoy the refreshing crispness, it's easy drinking with or without food, and it's affordable.

Because Sauvignon Blanc's taste profile is on the lighter side it goes well with the lighter foods such as the white meats (chicken, pork), and fish. The heavy dishes we might have during the cooler months that have lots of cream or butter will make the lighter wine taste sharp and the food will taste more heavy and oily.

The herbal aromas and flavors of the sauvignon blanc make it the perfect match for the garden salads and other light dishes we serve using lots of fresh herbs. And it is one of the very few wines that will still taste great with fresh asparagus.

Food Pairings:
Serve with summer salads, raw oysters, grilled fish/salmon, chicken, pork and the always healthy grilled asparagus and tomatoes.

When serving a cheese platter choose mild acidic cheeses such as goat cheese, feta cheese, pecorino romano, and extra sharp cheddar cheeses. I like to serve a fruit and cheese platter on a lazy day when we don't feel like cooking. It's filling and you can sit for hours relaxing and enjoy the company.


Salute!
Winelady Cooks